Venting bottle closure

ABSTRACT

A closure assembly which comprises an orifice which comprises a venting material, and wherein said venting material is substantially permeable to gases and wherein said venting material is substantially impermeable to liquids.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/834,873 filed Aug. 2, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a venting closure. Morespecifically, the present invention relates to a venting closureassembly useful for venting gases and dispensing liquids.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As liquid compositions are packaged into consumer ready packages, air isoften times trapped at the top of the container before it can be sealed.The air trapped at the top of the container (headspace) often results inan air bubble, which disrupts the composition within the bottle if thebottle is rotated. In instances where a specific design is createdwithin the liquid composition in the container, the air bubble can causedamage to the design during shipping. Additionally, many liquids aresensitive to gases, such as oxygen. When containers are filled with suchliquids, the presence of atmospheric gases reduces shelf-life, andthereby increases costs to the manufacturer. Headspace can generally bereduced by “topping off” the container with a sufficient amount of thecomposition as to prevent air from remaining at the top of thecontainer. However, this technique is difficult to automate, andtherefore must typically be performed by hand. Additionally, “toppingoff” often results in overflow of the liquid composition, which createsa hazardous condition on a production line.

A known method for eliminating headspace is to vent liquid-filledcontainers. One technique involves a pressure system comprising piecesof rubber, metal springs, and/or soft films (preferably vinyl chloride)being used to lift and open vent orifices in a closure when internalpressure reaches a given threshold value. Another technique is toprovide elaborate passages in a closure whereby gases may leave thesystem but liquid losses are minimized. A third system, which may becalled the pinorifice system, employs one or more tiny orifices inrubber, metal or plastic diaphragms which render the material permeableto gases. Yet another system, commonly called a positive displacementpump, or piston system, employs a mechanism which pushes a compositionto the top of a container via a rising piston or pump. However, none ofthe aforementioned methods effectively eliminates headspace from acontainer.

Therefore, a need still exists for a closure which allows for venting ofgases during packaging, while eliminating escape of liquid contents andalso eliminates headspace in a container. A need also exists to alloweasy dispensing, from the same venting closure, of the contents of thepackage by a consumer. Additionally, a need exists for a closure whichallows venting of gases in mass.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention meets the aforementioned needs by providing aclosure assembly which comprises an orifice which comprises a ventingmaterial, and wherein said venting material is substantially permeableto gases and wherein said venting material is substantially impermeableto liquids.

The present invention is also directed to a method of venting gasescomprising the steps of filling a container with a composition,expelling gases through a venting material, and sealing the closureafter headspace is eliminated.

While the invention will be described in connection with certainembodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited tothese embodiments. On the contrary, the invention includes allalternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included withinthe spirit and scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and,together with a general description of the invention given above, andthe detailed description given below, serve to explain the invention.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the closure assembly angled from above;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the closure assembly angled from below;

FIG. 3 is a lateral cross sectional view of the closure assembly;

FIG. 4 is a view of the top of the closure assembly;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the closure assembly;

FIG. 6 is a lateral cross sectional view of the top of the closureassembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While the specification concludes with claims that particularly pointout and distinctly claim the invention, it is believed the presentinvention will be better understood from the following description.

As used herein, the term “substantially gas-permeable,” means that thematerial described generally allows gases to pass through it.

As used herein, the term “substantially liquid-impermeable,” means thatthe material described generally resists the movement of liquids throughthe material. Therefore, the material behaves as a barrier to liquids.

As used herein, the term “substantially air-tight,” means that the sealgenerally resists the entry and escape of air/gases around the seal.

Referring to the figures, and specifically FIGS. 1 and 2, a closureassembly 1 comprises a base 2, and lid 3. The lid 3 is capable ofsealing an orifice 4 in the base 2. It is also contemplated that thebase 2 may be designed by employing more than one orifice. The lid 3 mayalso comprise a sealing means 5 to reinforce the integrity of the sealaround the orifice 4. The sealing means 5 may be a plug comprising amaterial selected from the group consisting of plastic, rubber, cork, orother material known in the art capable of creating a seal when appliedto an orifice. Preferably, the seal is substantially air-tight when thelid 3 is in the closed position.

The base 2 may be knurled or serrated on its outside surface 7 for easeof handling, and it is illustrated as having a securing means such asthreads 8, for securing to a matching means, such as threads, on acontainer. Preferably, the lid 3 is removable from the orifice 4, whileremaining attached to the base 2 at a bending means 6. The bending means6 may attach to the base 2 with an attaching means comprising anadhesive, a hinge, a hooking mechanism, a matching means wherein anextension of the lid is inserted into the base at a coplanar location 11on the base, or by another attaching means known in the art. The lid mayalso be molded directly to the base.

The average diameter of the orifice 4 is preferably about 20% to about60% of the average diameter of the inside wall 10 of the base 2. Theventing material 9 comprises a material which is substantiallygas-permeable and substantially liquid-impermeable. Non-limitingexamples of venting materials 9 are woven or non-woven fabrics, thinflexible plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, mylar, andpolytetrafluoroethylene. Polytetrafluoroethylene is most preferred. Theventing material 9 has a preferred thickness of from about 10% to about25% of the diameter of the orifice 4.

The orifice 4 also comprises a means for securing the venting materialin place. The venting material 9 may be secured to the surfacesurrounding the orifice 4, either above or below the orifice 4, byapplying an adhesive material to the edges of the venting material 9 andaffixing the venting material 9 to the base 2, either above or below theorifice 4. Where the venting material 9 is secured either above or belowthe orifice 4, the venting material 9 is slightly larger in averagediameter than the orifice 4. Alternately, the venting material 9 may besecured inside the orifice 4 by lodging the venting material 9 inbetween threads, or by using an adhesive where the venting material 9comes into contact with the inside wall 10 of the orifice 4. Where theventing material 9 is secured inside the orifice 4, the venting material9 is preferably slightly less than the diameter of orifice 4. However,threads may also be cut into the inner walls of orifice 4, so that theventing material 9 is not smaller in average diameter than the averagediameter of the orifice 4. Also, in another embodiment, the ventingmaterial 9 may be molded into the orifice 4 during fabrication of theclosure assembly 1.

In operation, after a container is filled with a composition, theclosure assembly 1 is secured to a container. Pressure within thecontainer is increased by various means, and gases are released throughthe venting material 9, and expelled through the orifice 4, whicheliminates headspace. After gases are expelled, the orifice 4 is sealedby the lid 3. In a preferred embodiment, the lid comprises a sealingmeans 5 which is operable to puncture the venting material when the lid3 is closed to seal the orifice 4. Pressure may be increased internal tothe orifice 4 by build up of gases produced during reaction of variousingredients of the liquid composition, by applying a force to theexterior of the container to physically force gases/air through theorifice 4, or by other methods known in the art to create a pressuredifferential inside and outside of the container. In one embodiment,atmospheric pressure may be reduced external to the container to ventgases via a vacuum.

The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood asbeing strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead,unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean boththe recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding thatvalue. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean“about 40 mm.”

All documents cited herein are, in relevant part, incorporated herein byreference; the citation of any document is not to be construed as anadmission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. Tothe extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this writtendocument conflicts with any meaning or definition of the term in adocument incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assignedto the term in this written document shall govern.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in theart that various other changes and modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is, therefore,intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes andmodifications that are within the scope of this invention.

1. A closure assembly comprising a base, wherein said base comprises atleast one orifice which comprises a venting material, and wherein saidventing material is substantially gas-permeable and wherein said ventingmaterial is substantially liquid-impermeable.
 2. A closure assemblyaccording to claim 1, further comprising a lid.
 3. A lid according toclaim 2, wherein said lid comprises a sealing means which is operable toseal said orifice.
 4. A lid according to claim 3, wherein said sealingmeans extends through said venting material when said lid is in theclosed position.
 5. A closure assembly according to claim 1, whereinsaid venting material is selected from the group consisting of a wovenor non-woven fabric, polyethylene, polypropylene, mylar, andpolytetrafluoroethylene.
 6. A method of venting gases comprising thesteps of filling a container with a composition, expelling gases througha venting material, and sealing the closure after headspace iseliminated.
 7. A method of venting gases with the closure assembly ofclaim 1 comprising the steps of: a) affixing said closure assembly to acontainer, b) increasing internal pressure inside of the container toexpel gases through said orifice, and c) sealing said orifice after gasis expelled.
 8. A method of venting gases with the closure assembly ofclaim 1 comprising the steps of: a) affixing the closure assembly to acontainer, b) decreasing atmospheric pressure outside of the containerto expel gases through said orifice, and c) sealing said orifice aftergas is expelled.